It may seem like gun control is the least of the worries of African citizens, but it’s actually quite the issue. It may seem logical to want to defend yourself against those who want to take advantage of you, and in this part of the country, using a gun is sometimes the only option. With that in mind, one is to ask, are there any gun control laws to stop people from getting out of control? Well, kind of.

Firearms Control Act

This act was initially introduced prevent the proliferation of firearms that were possessed illegally. In order to obtain a firearm legally, it has to be licensed. The owner doesn’t have to be, but the firearm does.

Who Is Eligible?

There are twenty one points that you have to hit in order to obtain a firearm. The four main ones are:

You have to be older than 21

You have to be stable & non-violent

You can’t do drugs

You can’t have a criminal record

If you meet everything else, amongst these four, you then have to take a proficiency test, which is a practical and theory exam. Only once you pass can you apply to the Police for a competency certificate. There are four categories that you can complete:

Handgun

Shotgun

Rifle

Semi-automatic rifle

The competency certificate isn’t a licence, it’s merely a piece of paper saying you can own the gun that you have received the competency for.

When Can You Own A Firearm?

In this area, there are only certain situations in which you can own a firearm and how many you can legally own. You can have just one for self defence, which can be a shot or handgun. If you live in the area and plan to own multiple guns and need a place to keep them out of harm’s way, the best gun safe for the money may need to be a consideration. It will keep your guns safely locked away and out of the reach of those who can’t have them but want them.

In South Africa, the maximum amount of rounds you can have for self-defense purposes is 200. You also have to always conceal your weapon in public places, there’s not option like there is in the U.S.

Legal Or Illegal? It Doesn’t Matter

Unfortunately, many South Africans have to keep a gun in their home for protection. A lot of times, people break into homes to steal the guns because they can’t get any of their own. It has been shown by international evidence that owners of handguns are victimized more often in contact crimes such as assaults, robbery, murder,

It’s a very common belief that crimes are only committed with illegal guns and that the only way to remedy it is to take away the illegal guns through buy-back programs , searches, amnesties, and intelligence operations, but it’s not. There are more than one way that illegal guns make their ways into South Africa:

Legal guns get smuggled from close countries.

Fraud, poor enforcement, and corruption of the Firearms Control Act.

Loss and theft of firearms from state institutions and civilians.

Think about this for a second-illegal guns were all once legal. There are a high amount of lost and stolen guns. The only way to fix this is by strictly regulating the licensing process for the guns.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, in areas such as South and West Africa, gun ownership is nothing to brag about, it’s actually something to fear. No matter whether owning a gun is illegal or legal, crime is going to happen. South Africa has the second highest gun crime rate, the United States is at the top of the list. It’s not promising that the violence will calm down if stricter laws are put into place, but one can hope.

To add more inspiration to all of those in Benin that are struggling to get out of poverty, here is a story of one of the people I have come to know and admire from Benin.

I am Jumal, born and raised in Benin, Africa, and I am very much proud of where I come from. I am in the states right now, on a mission to educate myself and earn a degree and get a shot on pursuing a career. I am doing this so that I could help my family back in Africa, as well as the rest of the people in our locality.

The African community needs more people to act out on their behalf. What the world has done to their past is something that scares a lot of them to move past it and aim for success. This is the reason that drives me today; the compassion for my fellow Africans.

Understanding the situation my country is in, it is obvious that the greatest possible way I could help them is through getting a proper education. I landed in the United States because my mother has a friend here.

I am graduating by the end of the school year, and I am very excited to start a new chapter of my life as a man battling it out there in the corporate world.

I will never forget my experiences during my stay here in our dormitory. The school grounds has been my home away from, and my roommate has been my best friend.

My roommate and I became good friends. I saw that he was a responsible guy, not like the stereotype I had of western teens. I was scared that I would not get along with whoever I will be assigned a room with but I was very fortunate that it was him.

Our college life was full of ups and downs and he helped me get through it, despite our differences in race. He never once thought ill of me and he showed me that there are still people who value respect and decency.

We took some classes together and we helped each other get good grades. For all of you planning to finish a college degree in a foreign land, you have to know that getting along with the right peers and friends is key to not wasting your college. Yes, it is important to have fun but having fun can be possible without risking your academic grades.

I always keep in mind my goal of success and I always remember the people, my family, especially my parents, who have sacrificed so much just to get me this education. I am not going to waste it over immature things. This should also be your drive for conquering college.

Now as I finish my studies, I plan to take every knowledge I have and make my family from Africa very proud.